New Places and Old Friends
Half Moon Bay
We headed north to Half Moon Bay, where Aaron found a very cool campground right on the Pacific. I think it was an old public parking lot that had been converted into a very tight, but very cool campground. We could watch the surfers right out our window and it turned out to be a pretty perfect home base for wandering.
We were lucky to have the sweetest retired couple as our campground neighbors. They eagerly shared all their favorite spots, places they used to take their own kids, and highly recommended the tidal pools near the Mavericks surf break. We were able to hop straight onto the path from our campground and bike there, timing our visit for low tide. It was incredible.
While exploring, we noticed a group of college-aged students calling out things like, “Professor, check this out!” Once our kids caught on, they jumped right in, asking, “Professor, what is this?” It turned out he really was a marine biology professor with his field biology class, and he generously showed the kids what to look for. With his guidance, we found starfish, sea anemones, sea urchins, all kinds of crabs, and so many tiny bits of sea life we would have walked right past on our own. He also helped us understand what was safe to touch and handle. We had an absolute blast, though by the end we were frozen and very ready for hot cocoa.
We spent a day down in Santa Cruz walking the pier, eating seafood, and, somehow, being forced to hang out at the arcade again. The kids were deeply disappointed to learn that the rides were not open. This marked the first time our usual travel style (minimal planning until we are already on our way) did not work out in our favor. Since it was the off-season, the amusement park had a scattered schedule, and we managed to perfectly align our visit with all the closed days. Still, the kids recovered quickly and made the most of it...hence the arcade!
Just down the road, Natural Bridges State Park felt like the perfect spot for Christmas photos. The girls and I had so much fun getting creative while we were on the West Coast. We brainstormed ideas together, hit the dollar store for props, and had just as much fun with the execution. Even Sayer got swept up in the holiday cheer.
Natural Bridges is well known as a migration stop for monarch butterflies and the rangers were boasting that they had counted 3,000! Y'all 3,000 butterflies sounds like a lot, so we tried to spot them too. They were technically there, but so high up in the trees that it required a lot of imagination and a great deal of faith.
It was while addressing our Christmas cards one evening that I paused as I wrote the address of one of my best friends from elementary school, Marlene. It suddenly hit me that we were less than an hour away from her. With only two days left in the area, I sent her a quick text and was thrilled when she replied that they were available and excited to get together.
San Francisco
Bonus. Marlene and her family live in Mill Valley, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, which meant we had to swing through San Francisco on the way. With only half a day to explore, we focused on the highlights.
We headed straight to the Embarcadero and walked along Pier 39 to see the sea lions. By this point, we’d been on the West Coast long enough that the sea lions didn’t quite hold the kids’ attention (though I was just as enchanted as ever). Their excitement returned when they spotted the double-decker merry-go-round! While they rode, Aaron and I laughed as we reminisced about the last time we’d been there, when Demory had ridden it as a toddler. Sayer was equally delighted by a cup of fresh mango from a street cart.
Next up was the big Ferris wheel, which gave us sweeping views of the city and the bay. From the top, we pointed out Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge, and Coit Tower and the kids giggled as they pointed out the tiny sea lions we had seen up close just a few minutes before.
After a yummy lunch, we hopped into our very first Waymo. The kids were totally mind-blown that there was no driver. It went mostly smoothly… until it stopped because we had, apparently, one too many passengers. Cue a very official pause while someone climbed out. Luckily, by that point, we were close enough for Aaron to heroically walk the rest of the way, and the kids got a kick out of the “driverless drama”.
Mill Valley
Marlene offered to meet us in Muir Woods, but after six months on the road, my kids were far more excited about the idea of playing with other kids in an actual house. Mill Valley might be the cutest town I have ever seen, a perfect blend of coastal and mountain charm. I loved seeing their beautiful home built right into the side of the mountain.
The kids hit it off immediately. Grier and Demory fell right in with their daughter Carissa, while their son Xander took Sayer under his wing, patiently showing him his amazing giant lego mech and how to transform each piece. They also fully embraced the very generous offer of baths in their fancy bathroom with heated floors. My giant-bathtub babies have been seriously missing their daily soaks!
While the kids played, Aaron and I sat on the deck overlooking Mill Valley and caught up with Marlene and Andy. They are the kind of people who make you feel instantly at ease, curious about your life and generous with their own stories. Being with them felt familiar and grounding and felt like slipping right back into our old friendship!
If you know me, you know I am terrible at keeping in touch, though I promise, it does NOT reflect how much I care! The last time I saw Marlene, Grier was just a wee babe and Marlene was nursing her newborn, Carissa, which means nearly a decade had passed! Still, reconnecting felt effortless, as though no time had gone by at all. We left hoping to pick things up again a little more often, with fewer years between hellos. Andy invited us back, and all five of us have big plans to make that happen! As Marlene said so perfectly, “Here’s to everything old being new again.”
